The Caged Bird's Song
by fightxorxflight
Summary: Based on this prompt- Instead of the XI universe, SpockPrime ends up in a universe where Romulans have enslaved humans. So SpockPrime seeks out Kirk, who is a slave, and buys him. Spock Prime then goes to find the rest of the crew and his counterpart.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Caged Bird's Song ((Part One))  
Pairing: Kirk/SpockPrime with implied other pairings  
Rating: This part, probably PG. It may get up to NC-17  
Summary: Based on the following prompt- Instead of the XI universe, SpockPrime ends up in a universe where Romulans have enslaved humans. So logically SpockPrime seeks out Jim Kirk, who is a slave, and buys him from whoever. Spock Prime then goes to find the rest of the crew and his counterpart.  
Author's Note: This is only my second Star Trek fanfiction so I'm sorry if it sucks or is totally OOC. I'd love some constructive criticism.

One second, the Jellyfish was flying through space, trying to escape an angry Romulan ship and a newly formed black hole, the next, the same black hole was sucking Ambassador Spock and his small spacecraft into it along with the Narada.

Spock didn't know how long he was traveling through the black hole. It was unbelievably dark and nothing in the ship worked, including the time log. All he knew, was that the trip eventually came to an end, the black hole spitting the Jellyfish out into space. It took a couple minutes for the ship to start working again, everything flickering back to life. All the Vulcan upbringing and strict teachings in the universe couldn't keep a surprised look from Spock's face.

What had happened? A few checks of the ship's systems and some quick but complex mental calculations gave him a pretty good guess as to what had happened. Not the mention that fact that he had gone back in time more than once during his time on the Enterprise. It was clear that once again, he had gone back in time.

Nero's ship wasn't in sight either. Spock took a deep breath and uttered a soft 'fascinating' before he began flying forward looking at his coordinates. He was in the same place he had left according the readouts. Just in the past…

Vulcan. That's where he would go. He would find out more and figure out how to get back home. Back to his time.

The Jellyfish sped forward, Spock piloting it towards his home planet. The trip was rather short, Vulcan coming into view shortly. As he grew closer, something seemed off though. The few other ships around didn't seem Vulcan or like anything that should have been around. In fact, they looked like birds of prey…

If Spock had been human, he might have said he was nervous. Nervousness was an emotion though, a very illogical one. He only felt slight curiosity.

The ship alerted the half-Vulcan of an incoming transmission and Spock quickly patched it through, a man with pointed ears and upswept eyebrows appearing on the screen.

"Identify yourself." The man ordered gruffly.

_Romulan. _Spock managed to keep calm and not tense as he realized this, both from the Romulan symbol on his shirt and the emotion clear on his face. What was a Romulan doing anywhere near Vulcan?

"I am Ambassador Spock. I request clearance to land," he replied smoothly.

The Romulan raised an eyebrow before turning away to some unseen computer, frowning before turning back to the screen. "I find no records of an Ambassador Spock. You may land, but a team will meet you in the hangar to see some identification," he said, narrowing his eyes.

Spock dipped his head and closed the transmission, piloting the Jellyfish into the hangar he had departed from. Or, the one he would possibly depart from in a hundred or so years…

As soon as Spock stepped out of the ship, two men were waiting for him, both Romulan. They were wearing black pants similar to those Spock himself was wearing and black shirts as well, but the Romulans had the symbol of the Romulan Empire on their shirts. Spock could not see any one who was not Romulan in the hangar. What had happened to his planet?

"Do you have any identification on you Mr... Spock?" the first Romulan asked him.

"No."

"Hm. Who exactly are you? What are you doing here?" he asked slowly, looking Spock over with a suspicious stare.

"I am Ambassador Spock from Vulcan. I am here after returning from a rather private trip," Spock said smoothly.

"I see. Is there anyone who could confirm any of this?"

Spock nodded once. "Sarek would be able to I imagine," he said, figuring his father must still be alive on Vulcan.

The second Vulcan looked at a PADD, and looked up with slightly raised eyebrows. "Is Sarek your slave?" he asked.

If he had been any less disciplined in hiding emotion, Spock's surprise wouldn't have shown through. Slave? His father had never been a slave. He decided to play along though. "Yes. He is."

The first Romulan nodded. "Very well. He should be in the Slave Center then. We can take you down there," he said, walking over to some sort of small cart-like vehicle, a clear, thin but strong done covering the top.

Spock nodded and sat down, the second Romulan driving the little vehicle out of the hangar and down the streets of Vulcan. It was sunny and dry and hot, though the air inside the bubble incased vehicle was cool.. It looked like the place he had left. Except there were Romulans walking down the streets instead of Vulcans. They were all dressed differently, but they all had the Romulan Empire symbol on their shirts. The same symbol was displayed on the flags that fluttered everywhere.

They pulled up to a low, gray building that Spock failed to recognize. The sign stated it was the Slave Center. The two Romulan men led him inside. The walls were just as gray as the outside was and the lighting was dim after the bright light of the Vulcan sun. A Romulan woman was sitting at a desk in the front. She looked up as the three men entered and waved them on. As they walked, Spock remained silent, trying to figure out some sort of a plan. He needed to know more though…

The Romulans stopped in front of a wide pair of gray doors that were sealed shut. A screen was on the wall beside the doors. One of the Romulan men walked up and began typing in several things, scowling slightly.

"It says Sarek has not yet been purchased. He is in a different Center as well. Never been owned by a Spock. Who are…" the man fell silent and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious thanks to the Vulcan neck pinch he had just received. The other barely had time to pull out his phaser before a well delivered hit on the head knocked his out as well.

Spock quickly proceeded to leaning down near one of the unconscious Romulan men on the floor, pressing his fingers to his face and performing a mind meld. It took a bit, but the half-Vulcan soon knew all he needed to. Tenser than ever, he quickly began walking away from the Romulans and towards the exit. He had to get back to his ship.

As he was nearing the doors that led back outside, he saw his first Vulcan. A Romulan was holding the Vulcan by the collar, angrily talking with the woman behind the desk. A collar… An actual metal collar. That wasn't what sickened Spock though. It was the Vulcan's face. A long, deep gash ran along the side, going from temple to jaw. It didn't look like a recent wound, but it was still vivid. Another Romulan was standing beside his friend, holding another Vulcan on a leash. This Vulcan also had a long scar on his face. Spock walked out of the building without another word, angry and disgusted and horrified on the inside.

The cart was easy enough to figure out and Spock drove back to the hangar, hoping no one had found the unconscious Romulans he had left yet. Hope was illogical though. It did nothing. All he could do was go as fast as possible without drawing any more attention to himself.

He managed to get to the hangar and sneak in through one of the unguarded side doors, easily locating the Jellyfish. Two more Romulans were standing near the open hatch, talking animatedly. Spock easily snuck up on them and knocked them out, hastily turning the ship on and flying out of the hangar doors just after another much larger Romulan ship. He knew it would soon be discovered that he had knocked out four Romulans and stolen his ship, but he didn't care. He just had to get out of there. The mind meld had revealed everything. In the ship, safe for the time being, Spock had time to mull over the new information.

He had not only traveled back in time, he had arrived in some sort of an alternate universe. A universe where there apparently was no Ambassador Spock. Where Sarek was a slave, as were all other Vulcans, marked as such by a scar on their faces.

A universe where Romulans had taken over instead of the Federation somehow.

Earth. Spock would go to Earth. The stolen memories revealed that Earth had been the first to be taken over, and that humans were enslaved as well. But Kirk would be there. As illogical as hope was, all he could do was hope that James Tiberius Kirk had been born and was there on Earth.

_To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

**PART 2 of _The Caged Bird's Song_**

James Kirk had been born free unlike most humans. However, shortly after birth, he had been recaptured by Romulans. The ruling species of a good chunk of the known universe. On the day of his birth, his father had died as well while saving him, his mother, and a group of other humans trying to escape captivity.

It had been twenty years since then. At least, he thought it had been twenty years. It wasn't like the Romulans gave slaves a clock or a calendar or anything. It was all guess work.

The real question was, how long was he going to be in this damn cage?

The Slave Center in Iowa had been some sort of a 21st century sports stadium before the Romulan takeover. On the dusty field, cages were spread out, buyers and owners alike standing around them. Stadium lights illuminated the area at night, but just then, it was the midday sun that bathed everything in light. Jim was hot and sweating despite the fact that he only had on a pair of light colored pants.

Jim sighed and ran a hair through his recently washed blond hair, the Romulans wanted him to look nice for potential buyers, sitting on the floor of his small, metal cage, watching Romulans walk by, looking at all the other caged humans with interest. None seemed to interested in Jim.

"Hello sir! Are you interested in purchasing this human?" the Romulan selling him asked as a tall, dark haired man walked over, raising a sharply angled eyebrow as he looked at Kirk with dark eyes. His face was strangely devoid of emotion.

"Yes. I am," the man said smoothly, his voice reminding Kirk of someone. He couldn't put a name with that familiar face and voice though…

"Well, he is in excellent shape and very young for a human, well trained in many skills, including his training as a pleasure slave. He tends to be rebellious and not very obedient however, so it will take an experienced slave owner to deal with him," the seller said, smiling a bit at the man still staring at Kirk. Was that sadness Jim saw in those dark eyes?

"I believe I will be able to handle him. How much?" the man asked, finally turning away from Kirk.

Jim watched as the two pointy-eared men began negotiating, feeling a little sick to his stomach. He had been owned before, but Romulans were usually passionate and easy to read. Not this man.

Finally, credits were exchanged and Kirk was put on a leash and the leash was given to the man who had bought him. Without another word, the man who had bought Jim began leading the way out of the stadium and out to a vintage black sports car. A rather nice one Jim noted.

The drive through the hot Iowa country side was uneventful, the man paying no attention to Kirk while he resisted the urge to squirm. What a strange man. He didn't seem Romulan even though he certainly looked the part.

They pulled up to a small house that looked as vintage as the car that pulled into the driveway. Nearby sat a strange spaceship. Jim slowly followed the man who had bought him into the house, looking around curiously. It was sparsely decorated and looked like it hadn't been lived in for a long time.

"This was your home Captain. In another world. Another time. We came here once. On shore leave," the man said in that deep voice that triggered some sort of unknown sense of familiarity in Jim.

Jim frowned. "Who are you?" he asked, eyes narrowing. He braced himself to be scolded or hit for being so disrespectful.

Instead, the man sighed and turned to face Kirk, his calm demeanor briefly breaking to show obvious sadness. "I have been and always shall be your friend," he murmured before all emotion cleared from his face once more.

He walked up to Jim, getting close enough to make the human tense and step back. The man held up a hand. "Hold still. I need to get this off you," he sighed, removing the leash and setting it neatly on a nearby table. Then he did something Kirk had never seen any Romulan ever do. He removed the metal collar around the human's neck, setting it beside the leash. Jim frowned, confused, and reached up to touch his neck. It was extremely pale and the skin was flaky. The only time collars were ever removed were to be resized. Kirk's collar hadn't been resized in years.

"You aren't like most Romulans," Jim said accusingly, stepping back again. This time, the man let him.

The collar was the only thing that had kept Kirk from trying to escape slavery all these years. He could run… He could probably beat the other to the car outside and get away. How long had it been since he had managed to get his hands on a vehicle? A long time. The last time he remember was when he was very young and had stolen his owner's car, trying to escape. In the end, he had driven the car off a cliff and almost died before he had been recaptured. He winced, remembering how badly he had been beaten. How he had been raped for the first time…

He didn't run though.

"That is because I am not a Romulan," the man said smoothly.

"Then what are you? You don't look human. You don't act human either," Jim pressed, becoming bolder.

"I am a Vulcan. My name is Spock," he said simply.

A Vulcan? What was a free Vulcan doing on Earth? He was obviously pretending to be a Romulan. How? Why? He didn't have the scar on his face most Vulcans had either.

"Vulcans are slaves like humans. How did you get free? Why aren't you marked?" Jim asked, taking a step closer to Spock. Spock… The name sounded familiar as well. "Why did you buy me?"

Spock lightly pressed his hands to Jim's face, watching as the younger man winced instinctually, ready to finally be hit. "Allow me to show you…" he murmured, closing his eyes as Jim did the same and the mind meld took place.

Jim watched everything. He saw Spock being tormented by his peers, Spock growing up and refusing the invitation to join the Vulcan Science Academy, joining Starfleet instead. And then he saw the other James Kirk. Jim Kirk graduating from Starfleet, Jim Kirk becoming captain of the USS Enterprise, Jim Kirk commanding the ship and her crew with his first officer by his side.

He saw things he thought he would never see. He saw the world where humans and Vulcans weren't slaves to Romulans.

He saw into Spock's head. He felt the conflict of logic and emotion, the daily struggle. He saw the intelligence in that head, mixed with a certain lack of knowledge in more human subjects. He also saw the way Spock had looked at the other Jim Kirk. How he felt about his captain. It was clear the two had been more than friends.

The mindmeld ended with the destruction of Romulus and the black hole created sucking Spock's ship in, sending him into an alternate universe.

Jim gasped as Spock withdrew his hands and stumbled back a bit, panting with eyes wide as he processed all he had seen.

That could have been him. That could have been his life. If it weren't for the Romulans, he would be an admiral now, in a very loving relationship with his bond mate, Spock. He bit his lower lip and leaned against the nearby couch in the room. "That was me?" Jim asked softly, feeling like he had lost something he had never had. Spock simply nodded.

Sadness and longing and nostalgia gave way to anger. The Romulans had taken that life from him. In the world Spock had shown him, his parents were alive too. They had seen him become a captain.

"So why are you here?" Kirk sighed, staring into those dark eyes surveying him.

"I went to Vulcan first. That is where I found out what had happened. The most logical thing to do was to come find you," Spock replied evenly.

Jim nodded and looked over Spock, really seeing him for the first time. He felt like he knew the Vulcan man. Memories filled his head, and he had to remind himself that they weren't his. His memories were far less pleasant.

Spock knew this. During the mind meld, he had gotten a glimpse of this Jim Kirk's head. He was like the Kirk he knew in so many ways, and yet so different. He suddenly felt a strange sort of pain in his stomach. He missed Kirk. His Kirk. What was happening in the universe he had come from? Did everyone know he was missing? He couldn't feel his mate's mind. The bond was gone… He took a few deep breaths and pushed all emotion away.

"While I was tracking you down, I educated myself on the history that led to this universe. I read everything on it I could find. I discovered that a human cannot be freed, only sold to the slavers. I do not want you to be my slave however. I want you to simply be my friend. When we are here, you may act as you wish. Simply pretend you are a guest in my home. When we go out in public, you will have to act as any slave would, though I will not punish you or harm you in anyway.

"If you wish to run, both my car and my ship are right out there. The Jellyfish will recognize your voice. That is not in your best interest however," Spock said, clasping his hands behind his back.

Kirk recovered and did something he hadn't done in a long time. He grinned. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Seems like it's going to be pretty good here," he said, plopping down on the couch. This action made a plume of dust rise up from the couch which caused him to start coughing as he jumped to his feet and rubbed at his eyes. Once the dust settled, he smiled again and carefully sat down. It felt so good to just lay down. He felt safe too. He felt good. Today was just full of firsts.

Spock continued to stare at Kirk and smiled faintly for a very brief second before he dipped his head. "Make yourself at home. This is your home after all. I am going to meditate. There is food in the kitchen you are welcome too. As I stated earlier, you may leave at any time. I do not recommend it however," he said before leaving the room swiftly. Maybe meditation would calm all these feelings.

When he entered the room he was sleeping in, he saw a picture of him and Kirk on the screen of his computer. It was when they were both younger, during a shore leave a long time ago. Kirk was wearing his gold command shirt, a trademark smile on his face as he stood with his arm slung around Spock's neck. Spock was simply standing there. To anyone just glancing at the picture, he would look as emotionless as ever. However, to someone who really knew him, they would know that the Vulcan was smiling softly, enjoying the warm sun and the closeness of his mate.

Spock stared at the picture for a while before he suddenly flew forward and smashed the screen with a burst of strength and anger. Then, he sat down on the bed and began to cry quietly.

Meanwhile, Kirk slept on the couch, dreams of Spock and his other life filling his head.

_To be continued…_


	3. Chapter 3

**PART 3 of _The Caged Bird's Song_**

Author's Note: I am so sorry it took me so long to post this. I finished it a while ago, but I was waiting on a potentional beta reader to look it over. It's been a while however, so I decided to just go ahead and post this. A huge thank you to everyone who has favorites this story and/or added this story to your story alert. And another big thanks to everyone who has given me a review. You don't know how awesome a good review makes me feel. Anyway, before I let you all go read the story, I would like to add that I am in need of a beta reader. If you are interested, please send me a message. And that's it for now!

* * *

Spock woke up before the sun had actually risen like usual. He hoped Kirk was still asleep or had at least kept out of trouble. If this Jim was anything like his Jim, he would be a magnet for trouble. Lately he had been sticking to as Vulcan a diet as possible, but he decided to make something more human. He refrained from making any dishes that had meat in them, but managed to make what he deemed a decent breakfast, delivering all the necessary nutrients while being pleasing to a human's sense of taste.

Setting breakfast out on the small square oak table in the little room adjacent to the kitchen, Spock almost turned to wake Jim up, but decided to let the human get his rest. This was unnecessary however, seeing as the smell of food woke Jim up almost instantly. He looked at the food and then at Spock, hair mussed from sleep and grinning in a way that was so distinctly Jim.

"Holy shit. Did you get up at the crack of dawn to make all this?" he asked teasingly, sitting down and licking his lips. God it had been so long since he had eaten a half decent meal.

Spock simply raised an eyebrow, faint amusement flickering over his features. "I did 'get up at the crack of dawn' as you put it, as I always do," he replied, sitting down in his chair more gracefully than Kirk did and starting to place food on his plate. Jim followed suit, piling food on his plate rapidly instead of being slow and neat like the half-Vulcan sitting across from him.

"Mm. This is amazing. Thanks," Jim said after swallowing a mouthful of food, soon inhaling more.

"You are most welcome. From what I have seen, Romulans do not care for the humans they own as well as they should," Spock replied.

Jim scoffed and nodded. "Got that right."

The remainder of breakfast passed in silent, Kirk savoring all the food while Spock simply watching him thoughtfully while eating his own food.

"Did you sleep well?" Spock asked when Kirk had finished his food and was leaning back in his chair, savoring the feeling of a full belly.

"Yep. That couch is more comfortable than anything I've slept on for a long time," he nodded, smiling slightly.

"That is good. Unfortunately, I will have to leave you alone for most of the day. I have important matters to attend to. I believe you will be able to keep yourself out of trouble…" the Vulcan replied, feeling that illogical hope rise up in him again.

Jim nodded and waved his hand dismissively. "I'll be fine. I will probably just spend the day sleeping and eating. I haven't had a day to just relax for… Actually, I don't think I have ever had a day to relax…"

Spock nodded and swiftly stood, grabbing a small black bag before leaving.

Kirk did indeed take a nap after the other man left, waking up to eat and use the bathroom. On his way back to the front room, he passed the master bedroom, door agape. He saw a few sparse belongings in the room and figured this was where Spock was sleeping. Curiosity overtook him and he walked in.

There wasn't much in the room. A bed, the sheets smoothed back neatly, a bedside table with a lamp, a dresser, and a desk with a chair. On the desk was a portable computer with a smashed screen. It was unlike anything he had seen before. It must have come back in time with Spock. He walked over and was surprised when it turned on.

Instantly, the screen came to life, showing a picture of a smiling man and a Vulcan. The other Jim Kirk and Spock… He felt a surge of jealousy at the way the older, alternate version of him clung to the dark haired man. He knew he should just turn the computer off and leave the room, but he didn't. He stared at the picture, memories that weren't his bubbling up.

***

"_Relax Spock. This is supposed to be enjoyable. Shore leave is meant to be relaxing!" Kirk chuckled, looking at his first officer and bond mate with affection. _

"_The way humans spend their shore leave is illogical. The point is to rest and rejuvenate. The most logical way to do so is to simply sleep, not…" Spock's lecture was cut short by a kiss from Jim._

"_That isn't what I mean by relax Spock," the captain murmured, taking his first officer's hand and intertwining their fingers together. The simple gesture made Spock's entire body tingle and his lips twitched in something like a smile. _

_A loud laugh made the two of them turn to see Sulu approaching, an old camera from the early 21st__century in hand while Chekov trailed behind him, grinning. "Smile for the camera!" Sulu exclaimed, raising the camera and taking a picture of Spock and Kirk just as the captain slung an arm over the Vulcan beside him._

"_I love you Spock. Which is why I want you to enjoy this time we have off. If you want to sleep, go right ahead. I had a couple of other things in mind, however. That is, if you are interested," Jim purred as soon as Chekov and Sulu were gone, nipping the sensitive tip of Spock's ear. _

"_I would not be adverse to whatever you had in mind Captain," Spock replied a little breathlessly, a light green blush staining his ears, neck, and face as Kirk kissed his neck now and slipped his hands under the blue science shirt he wore._

_As the pair reluctantly withdrew to retreat to the room they were staying in, their fingers intertwined again and Spock was filled with love. And for once, he didn't even stop to think about how illogical this was._

_***_

Jim scrolled through several other pictures. Picture of the crew of the Enterprise, pictures of Spock and Kirk, and pictures of a few places they had been. Sighing, he finally turning the computer off and sitting on the edge of Spock's bed, running a hand through his hair. Was he really jealous of himself? Was he really starting to develop feelings for a Vulcan he had just met?

He made sure things were just as he left them before he walked out of the room. He looked at the nearest clock. He probably still had a few hours before Spock returned. He walked back into the bathroom, showering this time. God it felt good…

He found a pair of clothes in the dresser in Spock's room. They were a bit big, but it the soft black cloth felt wonderful on his freshly cleaned skin and he happily made his way to the kitchen, scrounging up a little snack, still pretty full from breakfast.

Breakfast… It sure had been nice of Spock to make him breakfast. Especially one that was so human. Maybe he would return the favor… During his training as a slave, he had be taught how to cook, mostly knowing how to make Romulan dishes. He wasn't half bad at it either. He quickly located all the supplies he needed to make the one Vulcan dish he knew and set to work.

Dinner took a little over an hour and a half to make and he finished setting the table just as Spock arrived. He blinked a few times when he saw the table, Kirk putting the last of the food onto the table.

"You were not required to make dinner," he said, setting his bag down and walking over to the table. As he got closer, he realized that Jim had prepared a traditional Vulcan meal.

"Well… you've been nicer to me than anyone ever has so I thought I could at least make dinner," Kirk shrugged, sitting down and motioning for Spock to do the same.

Spock sat swiftly, slowly starting to eat. Vulcan cuisine was logical, providing all the necessary nutrients and nothing else. Because of such, it tended to taste rather bland. To Spock, it was the most welcome taste in the universe though.

Jim watched Spock eating as he consumed his own dinner, knowing that the Vulcan was pleased. He felt a little smug. Had the other Kirk ever cooked Vulcan cuisine for Spock? He didn't think so.

As soon as the two of them had finished eating, Kirk stood and began clearing the table after refusing Spock's help. The Vulcan did linger nearby to watch him and make sure everything was cleaned properly and put back in its place however.

"Thank you for the meal Jim" Spock said as they now sat on the couch, Jim looking at the books sitting on the coffee table. His head jerked up and he smiled warmly at the dark haired man.

"Sure. No problem," Kirk shrugged, leaning back against the couch and stretching out his legs.

Spock gazed at Kirk thoughtfully, lips pursed slightly. "Jim…" he began, voice low and surprisingly emotional. He looked like he was about to say something else, but he was cut short by a soft kiss. A light green flush stained his face and he stared at Kirk, trying to sort out the emotions filling him.

"Sorry. I don't know why I did that. I just…" now Jim was the one cut short, Spock's hands threading in his hair and holding him close as he kissed him roughly.

Jim had been kissed many times before. Every time, it had been against his will though and he had only returned the kiss to avoid being beat or punished in some other horrible way. This time, he parted his lips and kissed back because he wanted to though. Because he was developing feelings for the Spock he knew only through memories that weren't his…

Spock's tongue lightly traced Kirk's parted lips before slipping into the human's mouth, initiating a very human make-out session. Jim moaned breathlessly and wrapped his arms around the Vulcan's neck as the kiss deepened. Spock's body was so warm, much hotter than a human's body, and felt wonderful as it pressed him into the couch.

Sooner than Jim would have liked, the kiss was broken. Spock had pulled away, skin still flushed, emotions clear on his face. He took a few deep breaths and managed to recompose himself, smoothing his clothes as he stood up.

"I sincerely apologize. I should not have done that. Thank you for dinner Jim. Sleep well," Spock said smoothly, as if they had just had a conversation about physics instead of kissing on the couch. He then left the room, leaving Kirk breathless and confused.

_To be continued…_


	4. Chapter 4

**PART 4 of ****_The Caged Bird's Song_**

Author's Note: Once more, I'm sorry for taking so long to post this. I got writer's block. This is my first sex scene ever (Yes! There is a sex scene in this chapter! So reader beware if you don't like m// sex scenes.) and so... yeah. Also, another big thanks to everyone who had favorited/reviewed this story. Also, since this is my first sex scene, reviews would be fantastic right now. Seriously. Please. And finally, I still need a beta reader. That's it for now!

* * *

After the kiss, Jim didn't see Spock as much. The Vulcan seemed to avoid him more, gone by the time Kirk woke up to find a warm breakfast waiting for him at the table. There were a few times when Jim tried to strike up a conversation, but Spock had grown even more emotionless, if that were even possible. He seemed cold and detached, as if Jim was hardly even there.

Three days passed like this. Kirk was starting to grow used to this life. A life where he wasn't just a slave. Bruises were starting to fade, no one replacing them on a daily basis for once. He was gaining a little weight, enough to make him look healthier.

He was happy. And yet, something about the way Spock was acting bothered him. His dreams revolved around the kiss they had shared, or of things that he still recalled from the mind meld. They all focused on Spock though.

Finally, he decided to do something to get Spock to open up again. Or at least, open up as much as a Vulcan really could. Not to mention, he wanted to kiss the half-Vulcan again. Maybe go further… Yeah. Further would be nice.

So he made dinner again. He did so every now and then, but this time he decided to go all out. He found a Vulcan cookbook stowed away in a cupboard and quickly located Spock's favorite dish (Though he knew Spock would never admit to having a favorite food since it was illogical). He prepared the food and set the table, managing to find a table cloth and nicer dishes than he usually used. He also lit some candles and burned Spock's favorite incense. He lowered the lighting and raised the temperature to make it as comfortable as possible for the Vulcan.

Once the table was set and the food was ready to be served, he went into the bathroom to take a nice shower. He pulled on a pair of pants Spock had bought for him that made his lower half look particularly good and a blue shirt that complimented his eyes nicely.

Not more than a minute after Kirk had sat down at the table, Spock walked though the door. He blinked a few times as he looked around the house, slowly raising an eyebrow and turning to Jim. He set down the things he had been carrying and walked over to the table, sitting down slowly.

"Is there a special occasion I am unaware of?" the half-Vulcan asked, earning a chuckle from Kirk.

"Nah. I just felt like doing something nice for you. I mean, it must be hard being away from everything you really know," he replied before gesturing to the food. "Now eat. I would hate to see all this food go to waste!" And then he gave Spock one of the cutest, sweetest looks he had ever seen. It was so similar to his Jim and yet so different, especially because of those bright blue eyes.

Spock dipped his head before he tentatively began eating. It was delicious. Or as delicious at Vulcan cuisine could be anyway. The temperature was so pleasant too, as was the smell that permeated the room.

The entire time Jim and Spock ate, they watched each other without really noticing. Kirk finished eating before Spock and continued to watch the half-Vulcan, involuntarily focusing on his lips most of the time. Soon, Spock finished eating and the silence continued.

"Jim… I…" Whatever Spock had been about to say was interrupted by Kirk. The man swiftly stood and walked to stand in front of Spock's chair.

"Spock. You must know why I did this for you. Ever since the mindmeld and then the kiss… I really like you. Maybe even love you. It seems that you like me too. Or at least it _seemed_ like you did. So why have you been avoiding me?" he said bluntly.

Spock sighed and Kirk thought he saw weariness and emotion briefly pass over his face. "I must apologize for my actions Jim. I should not have shared so much, so many emotions in the mind meld. It has confused you. Your feelings are muddled with mine and my memories and knowledge. I believe you are also experience effects of your previous captivity. You have never known kindness, or at least not seen it from someone in quite some time. Therefore, you act quite strongly towards the first person who shows you sympathy and care," he replied, managing to maintain his normal monotone. It was infuriating.

Kirk's eyebrows furrowed at the reply he received. "No. It's not just that. The mind meld allowed me to see more, but it did not affect my feelings as strongly as you believe. Neither did that fact that I was a slave. So tell me Spock. Do you really not want me or are you just worried that I don't want this as much as I say I do?" he asked, smiling slyly. The barely concealed emotions in Spock's dark eyes gave told Kirk what his answer would be.

"I do want you. As you know, I was in a relationship with the Jim from my universe. The two of you are very different and yet clearly the same person…" before Spock could continue, Kirk spoke.

"But if we are the same person, and he loves you, then it would be logical for me to love you too. Right?" he injected, hoping that made as much sense to Spock as it did in his mind.

"Jim. We cannot. There are too many unknown variables. The consequences of any relationship we might pursue could result in disaster," the half-Vulcan retorted.

"Damn it Spock! Stop thinking this to death! Just… listen to your heart," he held up a hand when Spock opened his mouth to comment on the anatomic impossibility of such an action. "Don't say it. If you really don't want to do anything with me, I'll leave you be. But I am pretty sure you want me too," he continued. Without another word, Kirk straddled Spock's lap and leaned in to kiss him.

Spock didn't react for a few seconds, thinking things over. And for a few seconds, Kirk worried that he would be rejected. Then, Spock's hands were tight in Kirk's hair and he was sucking on the man's lip, deepening the kiss. Jim raised his hands and placed them on the sides of Spock's face, returning the kiss eagerly.

Finally, the kiss was broken and the two men stared at each other, Kirk grinning and Spock looking emotionless like usual, though his dark eyes were more human than Jim had ever seen them.

"Are you sure?" Spock asked, his voice a little deeper than usual. Kirk's nod was apparently a sufficient answer, as the half-Vulcan swept the human up in his arms and carried him easily into his bedroom. He placed Jim gently down on the bed, crawling on top of him and removing both of their shirts before continuing the kiss. They both disposed of their shoes and socks as well.

Kirk was getting hard now, grinding up again Spock. The Vulcan's bare chest was splendidly hot against his, as were the long hands exploring his body, trailing down his sides and finally reaching his waist. Kirk let out a soft, encouraging moan when his pants were slowly removed and tossed beside the discarded shirts. His boxers followed swiftly.

As a warmer than human hand wrapped around his erection and slowly began stroking, Jim gasped, back arching and hips thrusting. He moaned when Spock nipped the tip of his ear and sucked on it lightly before starting to kiss along his neck.

Jim let out a soft whine when the hand left his erection and came up to his mouth, tracing his lips. He quickly understood was Spock wanted and began to lick and suck on his fingers, drawing a quiet groan from the Vulcan. As soon as the fingers were slicked with saliva, Spock reached down and pushed one finger inside the squirming human beneath him, waiting before adding a second finger and then a third before scissoring the three, making Jim moan once more as the fingers brushed his prostate.

"Jim. I have no suitable form of lubrication currently. Are you positive you wish to continue?" Spock asked, voice low and rougher than usual.

Kirk nodded breathlessly. "Damn it. Of course I want to continue Spock. I can take it. Just fuck me already," he grunted.

Finally, the fingers were removed and Spock removed the last of his clothing, his long, hard, slightly green erection presses against Jim's hole. Even all of his Vulcan training couldn't keep Spock from starting to enter the man. He did try to be as gentle as possible though, not wanting to hurt Jim.

This was some of the best sex Jim had ever had though. Spock was gentler than all of the Romulan men who had bought him before, actually caring for Jim himself. There was some pain as Spock pressed all the way in, but it was almost completely erased by the intense pleasure.

Their lips met in a heated kiss as Spock began to move, slowly at first but gaining speed and strength. Jim let out a loud moan as Spock hit his prostate. At the sound, the half-Vulcan began thrusting rapidly, hitting that spot every time. Soon, both men were panting and moaning, though Jim was considerably louder.

When Spock's warm hand began stroking Jim's erection, he lost what remained of his control and came with a final cry. Spock soon reached his climax as well, feeling Jim's ass clench around him. He slowly pulled out of the panting human and laid beside him after one last kiss.

"You're amazing," Kirk murmured, pressing back against Spock and closing his eyes.

Spock surprised him by laughing softly and kissing his neck. "I am glad you think so. I still believe that you would say that about anyone who showed you any sort of kindness at this point but…"

Jim shook his head. "Are you seriously going to talk about that after sex? Relax," he interrupted, chuckling softly.

"I suppose you are right," Spock nodded. They shared one final kiss before they both fell asleep, both completely at peace in that moment in time.

_To be continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

**PART 5 of _The Caged Bird's Song_**

Author's Note: For the hundereth time, I apologize for being on of the world's slowest updaters. And of course, thanks to all my wonderful readers! I love seeing that so many people actually like this story. Finally, I want to thank **Harmona1235 **for being my new beta reader. And that's all I have to say about that. (-- Forrest Gump reference ^_^)

* * *

The next morning, Kirk woke up in bed alone. For a second he worried that everything that had happened with Spock had been a dream, but then he felt the warmth still lingering in the Spock-shaped impression on the other side of the bed. Not to mention, there was no way he could have dreamt up something that incredible.

Yawning, Kirk found his previously discarded underwear and pants, pulling them on before trudging out to the kitchen where Spock was finishing the meal he had prepared for breakfast.

"You know you don't have to always cook right? Or get up at the crack of dawn?" he asked as he took the plate of food offered to him and sat at the table.

"I realize that I do not need to, but I prefer rising early and cooking for you is no problem," Spock replied, making a plate for himself before sitting down across from Jim.

They began eating in silence, but it was not an uncomfortable silence. Nothing was said because there was nothing that needed to be said. Kirk loved Spock, and the half-Vulcan loved him. It was that simple. Well, actually it was fairly complicated, but at that moment in time, it was simple enough.

"So what are your plans for today?" Jim asked after the two of them had finished off their breakfasts.

Spock, who had been relatively relaxed until that point, suddenly became even more serious than usual. "Actually, I was meaning to talk to you about something. Ever since I found you, I have been trying to find the counterparts of other old friends along with my counterpart. After much searching, I have tracked down the other Spock. He is on Earth. In San Francisco. I will be traveling there to speak with him. Would you be interested in going with me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kirk all but jumped out of his chair, eyes wide. "Of course I want to go! San Francisco is one of the last Earth cities left unchanged by the Romulans. Slaves are treated better there too," he said. "It would be cool to meet the other you too."

"Very well. We leave tomorrow at 0700 hours. Will you need anything for the trip?" Spock asked, slightly amused by Jim's eagerness.

"No. All I need are clothes and food really," he replied, shrugging. There had been times in his life when he hadn't even had that much.

Spock nodded and stood slowly, gathering up the dishes and kissing Jim once, a very swift, gentle kiss, before putting them in the dishwasher. "I will be back in time for dinner so long as nothing unexpected happens. I suggest you pack in my absence," he said before picking up that bag of his and leaving.

As soon as the half-Vulcan was gone, Kirk was in his room, packing his limited belongings. When that was done, he began to clean up the already perfect house. He ate some lunch and sat down on the couch, reading a book on physics until Spock returned. They ate the dinner Jim had made, talked about what they would do once in San Francisco, and went to bed, only falling asleep after some more incredible sex.

***

"Jim," a deep, familiar voice rumbled. "It is time to wake up t'hy'la."

Kirk yawned and stretched, opening his eyes to look up at Spock. "What does that mean?" he asked groggily as he stood and pulled on some clothes.

Spock chuckled softly. "It is a Vulcan word meaning friend, brother, and lover," he explained, watching the human dress and smooth his messy blond hair out with his fingers.

"Fascinating," he said, borrowing one of Spock's favorite words. He yawned again and rubbed at his eyes. "What time is it anyway?"

"Approximately 0629 hours," the Vulcan answered. "We will need to leave in seventeen minutes in order to avoid missing our flight."

So after sixteen minutes of Jim frantically getting ready and eating a hasty breakfast, they were on their way to the nearest airport. Spock had put Jim's collar and leash back on, but even that failed to dampen his spirits.

The flight was short, though uncomfortable for Kirk since he had to ride in the cargo hold with all the other slaves. Despite the smelly, dark, cramped flight, it was all made worth it by the sight of a sprawling beach, ancient buildings from the 20th to 21st century, palm trees, and the smell of salt on the breeze.

"Are you ready Jim?" Spock asked Jim as they stepped out of the airport.

"Hell yes," Kirk grinned. "Let's go find the other you."

***

About an hour later, Jim was sitting in the passenger seat of a car Spock had rented and was now driving, watching the bright buildings of San Francisco fly past. He saw some humans walking the streets alone. They all had collars, but it was amazing for Jim to see slaves walking without a Romulan leading them around or abusing them in some way. It made him feel hope.

Suddenly, the car pulled to a stop and Jim looked over at the old blue row house standing there. Spock wasted no time in getting out of the car and striding up to the front door. Kirk quickly scrambled after him, coming to stand behind the Vulcan as he rang the doorbell.

A dark haired human answered the door. He also had dark brown eyes and appeared to be Asian in decent. Confusion flickered over his face when the human took in Jim and Spock.

"Hello Hikaru. It is good to see you," Spock greeted, causing the human to look even more confused and weary.

"How… Let me fetch my owner," Hikaru stammered.

The man looked over Spock and then Jim once more before walking off.

"Who was that?" Kirk asked as the door shut.

"One of my old friends. His name is Hikaru Sulu. He was once the helmsman of the _Enterprise_," Spock explained. "Do you not remember him from the mindmeld?"

Jim shook his head. "He looks different than he did in your memories."

Spock simply nodded and watched as the door reopened. This time, a Vulcan man stood there, blinking once in the Vulcan equivalent of surprise when he saw who was at his door.

"Hello Spock. We have much to talk about," Spock greeted his younger counterpart.

Meanwhile, Jim simply stared, looking between the two Spocks. If he hadn't known better, he would have said that they were father and son. It was strange watching them.

"I do not believe we have met before. Who are you?" the younger Spock asked.

"I am Spock," the elder Spock replied simply.

Jim saw puzzlement flicker in the young Spock's eyes. "Fascinating. I believe we should take this conversation elsewhere. Hikaru, please keep our human guest entertained while we are gone," he said. The two Spocks looked at each other before walking into the house and up a flight of stairs.

Now Kirk was left alone with Hikaru, who was eyeing him suspiciously. Jim smiled weakly as he walked into the house, shutting the door behind him as he looked around.

The house was sparsely furnished, but it was still nicer than almost every house he had ever been in.

"Are you hungry or thirsty?" Sulu asked, sitting on a couch and gesturing for Jim to sit as well.

"Not particularly," Jim shrugged as he took a seat across from the other human.

A tense silence filled the air, neither man making eye contact or trying to strike up a conversation. Finally, Jim said, "So, Hikaru Sulu, right?"

Hikaru nodded.

"That's an interesting name. Where are you from?"

"Here. But my parents were from Japan," he replied.

Kirk nodded. "I'm Jim. Jim Kirk."

"Wait, is your father George Kirk?" Hikaru asked.

Jim's eyebrows furrowed and he frowned. How did this man know his father? "Yeah. Why?" he asked.

"Do you know what Spock and I do here? We help slaves escape to a Klingon planet called Krios where a rebellion is forming. The Klingons hate us, and we hate them, but we all hate the Romulans even more. Especially since the Romulans almost destroyed the entire Klingon Empire. Klingons would be slaves with humans and Vulcans if it weren't for the fact that they either killed their owners or themselves every time they were enslaved. Anyway, your father died to save roughly eight hundred slaves, not to mention you and your mother. He's famous among all us abolitionists," Sulu explained excitedly.

"Oh. Well… yeah," Kirk mumbled. They were silent once more until he asked, "So Spock is pretending to be a Romulan who owns you?" he asked. "All so you two can help other slaves get to Krios?"

"Yes. Exactly. And the other Spock owns you? I take it he is pretending to be a Romulan as well," Sulu responded.

"Yeah. He's actually the same Spock as your Spock, but my Spock is from another universe," Kirk said casually.

Sulu blinked rapidly and his eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

Jim swiftly explained how Spock had arrived in their universe, and what had happened from the time the half-Vulcan had bought him to their arrival in San Francisco. When he was done, Sulu was staring at him like he had lost his mind.

"Wow," was all he said.

Jim shrugged and the silence relapsed.

Kirk couldn't really tell how much time passed before the two Spocks came back downstairs.

"Hikaru, Mr. Spock just told me a very fascinating story…" the younger Spock began, only the be interrupted by Sulu.

"Yeah. I know. He," he paused to point at the elder Spock, "is the same person as you, just from another universe where Romulans aren't in charge."

Spock nodded. "That is a very simplified explanation, but yes," he said. He turned to Sulu. "Did you explain what we are doing here in San Francisco?"

Now Jim was the one to interject. "He told me everything. You are pretending to be a Romulan who owns Sulu here so you two can help others slaves go to Krios. Though I do have a question."

When both Hikaru and the younger Spock raised an eyebrow at the exact same time, Jim had to fight to keep serious. "How did you come to Earth and manage to pull of this whole charade?"

"My mother was human, as you know. Not only is it illegal for slaves to have children without the proper paperwork and authorization, but it is taboo for humans and Vulcans have children together. So she and my father fled Vulcan before anyone discovered she was pregnant and went to Krios. I was raised a Vulcan while there. When I was older, my parents went back to Vulcan to try and help others. Two years later, I came here to San Francisco to help as well. I bought Hikaru and two other human slaves. The other two went to Krios, but he insisted on staying here to help. He said it was logical, since it would be less suspicious if I had one permanent slave," Spock explained.

Kirk looked to Sulu who nodded. "Huh…" he shrugged.

"Now that we are finished talking, I believe it would be wise to seek out lunch," the elder Spock, Spock Prime as Jim had decided to think of him, spoke up.

Everyone agreed and Hikaru and Jim were put on leashes before the four departed to eat lunch at a local restaurant.

_To be continued…_


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6 of _The Caged Bird's Song_**

* * *

The name of the restaurant was in Romulan. Over the years, Jim had almost become fluent in the language, but he wasn't quite sure what the name meant. It didn't matter. What mattered was the sign on the door that stated that slaves had to be restrained and attended by a Romulan at all times inside.

Spock and Hikaru strode right in, Hikaru's head bowed and posture stooped as any normal slave's would be. Kirk was about to walk in when a light tug on his leash stopped him.

"Jim, you must act like a normal human slave. It is of the utmost importance that we maintain our cover," Spock Prime whispered, making the words sound harsh and angry to fool any passing Romulans.

"I know," Jim said dejectedly, making sure he looked like he had just been scolded and was fearful of being punished. He had been a slave for most of his life. It would take more than a few weeks of 'freedom' to beat the training out of him.

The pair began walking after Spock and Sulu when a large Romulan man, obviously drunk, stumbled from the building, running right into Kirk who fell back on his ass at the impact. Spock was instantly beside him, helping him up.

Meanwhile the Romulan seemed to simply be stunned, trying to figure out what had happened. As soon as he caught sight of Jim, he scowled and grabbed him by the collar. "Can't you fucking watch where you're walking boy?" he snarled, shaking him roughly.

"Sir, I would appreciate it if would unhand my slave," Spock Prime said, anger simmering just under the surface of his emotionless exterior.

The man snorted and dropped Jim who landed on his ass once more. "Fine. But you should teach this worthless human to watch out," he snapped, kicking Kirk in the side.

"Maybe someone should teach you the effects of alcohol on an already stupid Romulan," Jim mumbled, momentarily forgetting that Romulans, like Vulcans, had extraordinary hearing.

Suddenly, a heavy fist slammed into Jim's face just as he stood back up. He felt blood start to gush from his nose immediately, but that was the least of his concerns as the same fist wrapped around his throat and lifted him off the ground, choking him. Jim thrashed and managed to kick the man in the crotch. This made the Romulan even angrier and he cursed loudly as he slammed Kirk against a nearby wall, his head hitting the surface with a loud crack, and then punched him once more in the face and then in the gut. Just as Jim was about to pass out, the Romulan collapsed, releasing him.

Gasping for breath, Kirk fell to his knees, looking up to see Spock Prime standing over the man, lifting his hand from the unconscious Romulan's neck. Barely contained fury shone in his dark eyes.

"You are in need of medical care," the half-Vulcan said as he kneeled beside Jim.

He coughed, spitting blood from his mouth and shaking his head. "No… No… Just a… a broken nose. I'll… be fine," he wheezed.

Before Jim could protest any more, Spock Prime had scooped him up in his arms. The younger Spock and Sulu were already standing there. "We will call for a taxi. There is a human hospital approximately…"

Kirk tuned the rest out, trying to get his head to stop spinning. He had become really soft if he couldn't take a little beating any more.

The taxi arrived shortly after Spock made the call and all four of them piled in, Jim in Spock Prime's inhumanly warm arms. When they got out he convinced Spock Prime to let him down which resulted in him throwing up and promptly being picked back up and carried inside.

Now Jim had seem some pretty disgusting placed in his life, but the hospital was easily one of the worst. It was nothing more than two rooms, one small reception area and a large, dirt floored room with cots and a few curtains put up to separate patients. It was dirty, smelly, and filled with the moans and groans of patients. Spock and Hikaru waiting in the reception area while Spock Prime, despite the arguments of several human nurses, carried Kirk back to one of the empty cots, stained with blood and other various bodily fluids that he didn't want to know about.

"I will return later my t'hy'la," Spock whispered before departing.

Then a man with dark hair and hazel eyes appeared in front of him, shining a light in his eyes and poking and prodding at him.

"No I don't need one of those damned tricorders. We only have a few of those and they're needed for more important cases than this. I can handle this one with a good old fashioned pair of hands," the man snapped at a blonde haired nurse standing behind him who had offered the boxy instrument.

Jim winced and cursed when the doctor stuck him with a hypo.

"Oh don't be an infant. This is for the concussion and to prevent any infections. Your owner told me what happened. You'll live, though you won't feel so great for the next couple of days. Not that that's probably anything new to you," the man said gruffly, a faint Southern accent lurking beneath his voice.

"Your name is Leonard. Leonard McCoy…" Jim slurred slightly, his dizziness and disorientation slowly dissipating.

"Sure is kid. Now shut up so I can get this done," McCoy replied as he cleaned Kirk's bloody face and healed his broken nose. He also got some ice for the large bump now on the back of his head. He even managed to heal the bruises that ringed Jim's neck.

"Done. You had a concussion, but that's fixed, as is your broken nose. That's as good as you're going to get. Now rest up. I have a job to do, other patients to take care of. Bones to mend," the doctor sighed, backing away from Kirk's cot.

"Bones…" Jim said, laughing softly.

"Right. Bones," McCoy smirked before walking off, leaving Jim to fall asleep.

***

He woke up to the face of the blue eyed, blonde burse from before.

"Hello. Good to see you're awake. So many of the slaves we treat here aren't so lucky," she sighed. "Anyway, my name is Christine. Do you need anything?"

"Water?" Jim asked. He was also hungry, but as he looked at all the patients laying around him, most in far worse condition, he didn't want to ask for food.

Christine returned shortly with a glass of water which he eagerly gulped down. He sat up slowly, pleased when all he felt was a slight ache form laying on the thin cot. He stretched and looked around to make sure none of the doctors or nurses were looking his way when he stood and began walking towards the exit. He was almost there when a hypo was jabbed into his neck.

"Damn it!" Kirk swore, turning to see McCoy scowling at him.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" he asked.

"Leaving. I'm fine now," Jim replied simply.

"You aren't fine until I say you are. Now back in your cot before I stick you with a hypospray loaded with a heavy sedative. I'll speak with your owner and give you a final check," McCoy threatened, waving the instrument at him. Kirk huffed and sat back down on his cot.

He watched the nurse who had said her name was Christine tend to a young, curly haired boy who was almost completely covered in blood and bruises with one leg twisted at an awkward angle. Jim felt a stab of pity for the boy and quickly turned away as a dark-skinned doctor walked over and reset the leg with a crack. He decided to just stare at the door to the reception area and wait for McCoy to return.

***

Spock was talking to his younger counterpart when the brown-haired man emerged into the waiting area. It took a few seconds, 2.7 to be exact, for the half-Vulcan to recognize the man. He swiftly stood and walked over to the doctor.

"Doctor. It has been far too long…" he greeted.

McCoy huffed, taking it as a complaint. "Sorry sir. Your slave was pretty banged up. I worked as fast as I could," he said, trying to keep the bite out of his voice. The Romulans who owned the hospital and all of the humans working there had threatened to beat him within an inch of his life if he continued to be rude to their clients.

Amusement briefly flickered over Spock's features. "No. I did not mean it in that sense. I understand how difficult it is to treat patients in such inadequate conditions. I simply meant that I had not seen you in quite some time," he explained. The last time Spock had seen Leonard McCoy was at a funereal. His funereal actually. The doctor had died at the ripe age of 138. Jim had been devastated at the loss of his friend. Spock had been saddened as well, though he only allowed himself to mourn for his friend in the presence of Jim. The man had been able to sense Spock's emotions through their bond and urged him to let it out.

"Damn straight it's hard. But have we met before?" McCoy asked, frowning in confusion.

"Yes. In another time. Another life," Spock nodded.

"Right. Well let me make sure your slave is healthy and I'll send him…" the doctor broke off as Jim sauntered into the room. He froze when he saw McCoy who made the motions of jabbing him with a hypo.

"Jim. Do you realize who this man is?" Spock asked as the human quickly came to hide behind the much taller Vulcan.

"Yeah. Leonard McCoy. I called him Bones, right?" Kirk replied.

"Correct."

"There was also a nurse named Christine who seemed familiar," he added.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Christine Chapel?"

McCoy was the one to speak now. "Yeah. She's my nurse."

Jim was pretty sure Spock was both happy and upset to have found Chapel. It was getting easier to read the half-Vulcan all the time. He tried to think of anything in Spock's memory but came up blank.

"Doctor, I am in need of a personal medical professional for my slave. He is quite skilled at getting himself into trouble. Would your owners be willing to part with you and possibly your nurse as well?" Spock asked.

McCoy's eyebrows knitted together and he shook his head. "I'm the head doctor here, and Christine is the head nurse. I don't think they would be willing to sell the both of us off," he replied.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well I believe I will go and see for myself," he said before walking off, leaving the doctor, two slaves, and younger half-Vulcan alone.

Several minutes passed before the elder Spock returned. "Doctor McCoy, would you please fetch Nurse Chapel for me. It seems that your owners were willing to relinquish the two of you for a certain sum," he announced.

Surprise showed on McCoy's face, as well as wariness. He had met some pretty strange Romulans in his life, but this one was exceptionally weird. There was something about him that made McCoy nervous. But as he looked at an enthusiastically grinning Jim, he felt that he would be safe with this man as his owner, so he nodded and went to tell Christine the news.

_To be continued…_


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7 of _The Caged Bird's Song_**

Author's Note: Here is the next chapter in my story. Hope all of you like it! Also, Chekov maked an appearance in this part. I can't write his accent, so you'll just have to imagine it. Sorry! ^_^

* * *

When McCoy located Christine, the first thing he noticed was that his head nurse seemed to be barely holding back tears. The next thing he noticed was his friend Dr. M'Benga standing beside her looking upset as well, holding a hypospray filled with an ominous red liquid and standing over the bloodied Russian boy that had been brought in earlier. It only took McCoy a few seconds to figure out what was going on and another couple of seconds to rush over and snatch the hypo from M'Benga just as he pressed it to the boy's neck.

"What are you doing!?" he snapped, setting the hypospray to the side, glancing at it with disgust.

M'Benga sighed and ran a hand over his face. "The boy had internal bleeding and a partially collapsed lung along with trauma and broken bones, not to mention a concussion. We tried operating on him but… He isn't going to make it. I was ordered to euthanize him," he explained. If McCoy hadn't known the man so well he would have missed the upset expression on his face.

"Don't give me that shit M'Benga. I was the first one to tend to him this morning when he came in. With some more surgery and treatments he would make it, no problem. Those damned Romulans just don't want to spend the money on a slave without an owner to pay for him or any hope of being sold," McCoy growled. He knew he was right when Christine bit her lip and M'Benga looked down at the ground.

Slaves died in the hospital all the time and nobody even blinked an eye. McCoy had been forced to euthanize a few himself and only lost a night or two worth of sleep over it. The difference with this boy was his age. He was only seventeen. Far to young to die simply because McCoy's owners were cheap and selfish. There was something cute and innocent about the curly haired boy as well. Something about him brought out McCoy's protective side.

"I'm sorry Leonard, but we have to. If I don't, someone else will. Not to mention you, Christine, and I will get whipped until we can barely stand," M'Benga sighed.

McCoy shook his head and grabbed a hypospray. It was filled with a clear liquid instead though. He quickly jabbed it into the side of the Russian boy's neck and watched as his breathing got slower and slower until it stopped all together.

"Leonard… What are you doing?" Christine asked softly, staring at the boy.

"What I originally came back here to do was tell you that we have been bought Christine. The man claims he needs us around because his slave gets into a lot of trouble, but I don't think he's telling to whole truth. There's something off about him… Anyway, we can take… what's the boy's name? Pavel, right? I'll grab what medical supplies I can and then we will take Pavel with us and nurse him back to health. He's fixed up enough to be moved. The neuroparalyzer I just gave him will give him the appearance of death for a bit. It will look like I'm just getting rid of the body when we transport him," McCoy explained.

Both Christine and M'Benga frowned at this.

"But what if the man who bought us doesn't let us bring Pavel? After all, even after he makes a recovery, he won't be of much use as a slave," the nurse asked softly.

"I have a feeling he won't mind. Go out there and find Jim, the guy we treated with the concussion earlier, and his owner. Explain the situation to them. If they don't have a car, get them to call a cab and meet me at the back entrance. I'll be waiting there with Pavel," McCoy said. Christine immediately nodded and left to go seek out her new owner.

That done, McCoy found his medical bag and began packing various hypos and tools in it. He stopped when he felt M'Benga's hand on his shoulder. "I don't know what I'll do without you here Leonard," he sighed.

McCoy smiled a bit an clapped his friend on the shoulder. He would miss the man as well, sometimes it was only the other doctor and a bottle of hard alcohol that kept him from going crazy. "Don't worry. You're an amazing doctor and when I'm gone you'll be in charge," he replied in a rare moment of warmness.

"The problem with that is that I don't want to be in charge," M'Benga snorted. McCoy just smiled a bit and clapped the man on the shoulder.

"You think I wanted to? Hell no. But sometime you just have to suck it up and deal," he shrugged. M'Benga nodded a bit.

"Well, good luck," McCoy said as he finished filling his medical bag with everything he felt the hospital could spare.

"You too," M'Benga said as he dipped his head.

McCoy took one last look around the depressing hospital before very gently picking up Pavel's limp body and walking out through the back door.

***

When Pavel woke up, his first thought was that it was a miracle he was still alive. The next thought he had was that his owner was going to snap his neck. Then he realized he was no longer in the hospital but in a small blue room, early morning sunlight streaming in through the window, cracked open to let in the warm air.

Gasping, he sat straight up. The sudden movement caused so much pain he let out a cry of pain and wished he was unconscious again. An Asian man with dark, kind eyes came into view and gently pushed him back down on the soft bed he was in.

"Sh… You need to be careful. Doctor McCoy has you mostly fixed up but you still need to take it easy. If anything happens to you because of me, the doctor said he would… well you probably don't want to even know," the man said as he grabbed a glass of water from the table beside the bed. "Are you thirty?"

"Da," he croaked out, surprised by how rough and weak his voice sounded. The man smiled gently and tilted his head up until Pavel could gulp down the water.

Once the glass was empty, the man set it aside and laid Pavel back down. "I'll be right back. I have to go tell Doctor McCoy you're awake. The other Spock will be happy to know it too, though he'll claim he has no such feelings," he said before walking out of the room.

Pavel watched the man retreat, puzzled. The last thing he really remembered was waking up in the hospital, his entire body throbbing in pain as he was carried into the OR (or what passed for an OR in that dump anyway). Then he had been sedated and only woken up once or twice only to pass out a few minutes later. Each time he had thought he would never wake up again. Yet here he was. He couldn't help but wonder where here was though.

"Damn it Sulu! I told you to come get either me or Christine the second he woke up and make sure he didn't move!"

The Russian boy frowned and looked over to see the doctor who had treated him before come in, the Asian man following and looking sort of sheepish.

Still grumbling, McCoy began poking and prodding Pavel, making him yelp when he touched a particularly sensitive spot on his abdomen. The doctor grunted a bit and said something about his liver. Then he ran tricorder over the boy's body before jabbing him with some kind of hypospray.

"There. How you feeling kid?" McCoy asked.

"I hurt. My whole body hurts," Pavel complained.

"No shit. You got really messed up. Took me a few hours to make sure you wouldn't die of internal bleeding or anything. I just gave you a pain killer but that will only take the edge away. Sorry," he replied gruffly.

This made Pavel smile a bit. "Thank you Doctor. I would gladly take being in pain over being dead."

The praise made McCoy look a little awkward and he cleared his throat. "Sure thing kid. It was the least I could do," he grunted before whispering something to the man and leaving.

"What is your name?" Pavel asked as the man sat in a chair just a few feet from where he lay on the bed.

"Hikaru. Hikaru Sulu," the man responded instantly. "And your name is Pavel, right?"

"Da. Pavel Chekov. How long have I been here?"

"Um… about five days. Doctor McCoy had to keep you under for a long time," Sulu said.

Five days? Pavel had been out for five days? No wonder he felt like he had been laying down for weeks. "Where am I? What is going on? Was I bought?" he asked rapidly.

Sulu blinked a few times and frowned a bit. "Kind of… Spock can explain what's going on better than I can."

Pavel wished he could have gotten a better answer than that but he just sighed and laid back down. He was tired and still felt weak. He must have nodded off because the next thing he knew Sulu was gently nudging him awake and the noontime sun was illuminating his room. Beside Hikaru was a tall, elderly, dark haired Romulan man, staring at Pavel with a strangely emotionless face.

"Pavel Chekov. It is nice to see you again," the Romulan greeted. "Doctor McCoy tells me that you have been progressing nicely."

"Are… are you my new owner?" Pavel asked softly, looking over the man nervously.

"No. As far as the hospital the doctor brought you from is concerned, you are dead. You are free," the man replied.

Free… He was free… The very thought made Pavel feel a little giddy.

"Thank you Mr.…" he trailed off, not sure what the man's name was.

"Spock. You may call me Spock," he replied.

"Alright. Spock. You are not Romulan are you?" Pavel asked, looking over the strange man. He had only seen that lack of emotion on Vulcans…

"That is correct. I am Vulcan. You must rest now. All will be explained in time." Spock said before leaving. Almost immediately upon the Vulcan's departure, Pavel realized how tired he was and drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8 of _The Caged Bird's Song_**

Author's Note: I am so sorry it took so long for me to update. I feel so bad. Life has just been hell lately. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Also, there's some good old fashioned Kirk/Spock coming up. As always, reveiws are awesome and I love all the people following this story. It means so much to me. ^-^

* * *

"A Vulcan from the future?" McCoy asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Cool isn't it Bones?" Jim chirped, using the new nickname he had come up with for the doctor as he grinned at the scowling man. Pavel's face was simply scrunched up in a look of thoughtfulness.

"So you two are the same person?" McCoy continued, pointing at the two Spocks.

"Affirmative," Spock Prime nodded.

"I need something to drink," the doctor sighed, plopping down in a chair. Sulu immediately ran off and returned with some kind of alcoholic beverage which McCoy promptly gulped down.

"So you took the three of us," Pavel paused to motion at McCoy, Chapel, and himself. "because in the universe you are from, we all served on a starship with you? A universe where Romulans never enslaved humans and Vulcans? And Jim and Mister Sulu were also among the crew?"

Spock Prime resisted the urge to sigh and roll his eyes. He would never understand the need humans had to restate the obvious. "Affirmative," he repeated.

Christine glanced over at McCoy and Pavel before turning back to the two Spocks. "Unlike these two, I am grateful that you saved us," she said, looking over the younger Spock in a way that made the tips of his ears turn a faint green. "Very grateful," she added with a small smile. Jim felt a strange surge of jealousy, even though Christine was paying no attention to the elder Spock.

"You are very welcome Miss Chapel," the older Spock said. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Well now that we're here, what are your plans? Or did you not think that far ahead?" McCoy asked irritably.

Spock Prime raised an eyebrow. "Of course we have a plan. We currently know the whereabouts of Miss Uhura and Mister Scott, two other members of the crew of the Enterprise and personal friends," he explained patiently. He was used to verbal sparring with the gruff doctor. He found he had missed it after the Doctor McCoy he knew had passed.

"So while you go get them, we will do what?" Pavel asked, his accent making Jim want to ruffle those adorable curls.

"You will stay here with Mister Sulu. They are in San Francisco, and it will not take long. Once we locate them, Mister Sulu and my younger counterpart have arranged for us to take a shuttle to Krios to help in the rebellion in three days," Spock Prime replied.

Pavel suddenly understood why the others had insisted on waiting to tell McCoy, Chapel, and Chekov what was going on until the young Russian was healed. It had only taken a few days with the skilled doctor and nurse working on him. Now his body only ached dully in certain places and he had bandages covering the injuries that had been the worst. It had helped that the younger Spock had the funds to buy whatever medical equipment was necessary (something that excited McCoy to no end).

"Krios… I have always wanted to fly in a space shuttle and explore other planets," Pavel said, eyes bright. Spock Prime smirked invisibly at the boy, remembering the bright navigator who had served on the Enterprise.

"Doctor, will Mister Chekov be suitable to travel in three days?" the younger Spock asked the doctor.

McCoy nodded. "So long as he follows my orders and rests up, he'll be fine."

"Then it's set!" Jim said, smiling broadly. He was just as eager as Chekov to make their trip through space.

Everyone nodded and began to leave. Christine and McCoy helped Pavel back to his room. Sulu went off, saying something about tending to his plants. The younger Spock left without another word, simply glancing at his elder counterpart. Only Jim and Spock Prime remained.

Jim looked over at the older Spock and smiled. With all the excitement recently, they hadn't been able to spend much time alone together. "This is exciting. I can't believe I'll finally be getting off this stupid planet," he said. "With friends none the less. And you."

Spock nodded once and something flickered over his face as he reached out to touch Jim lightly on the shoulder, knowing that this was a soothing gesture for humans. "I am glad you are happy," he replied sincerely. Jim's grin softened and he leaned in to kiss Spock. He was surprised to find the Vulcan not reacting to the kiss and pulled back, watching him with confusion.

"Jim… I was wrong before to engage in a romantic relationship with you. I already have a mate. While he is your counterpart and very similar to you, he is not you," he began as gently as possible. "And I am not right for you. I am far older than you Jim, and do not belong to this universe. Your true t'hy'la is not me."

Hurt flashed across Jim's face. Then anger and surprise. Finally, acceptance seemed to come. "I should have known. I guess I knew we wouldn't always be together. It feels right, us being together. But something's off too," Jim murmured slowly, running a hand through his hair.

Spock nodded once. "I agree and am glad you understand. I will always be your friend Jim. But your mate is still out there. In fact, he may be closer than you think."

It didn't take long for Jim to figure out who Spock was hinting at. His counterpart. Jim had gotten to know the younger Spock better during their stay and already decided he liked the young Vulcan. He was more reserved than the elder Spock, but also more like Jim in some ways. They had formed a sort of friendship, which Jim could imagine evolving into more. Plus, Jim couldn't deny that he found the younger Spock sexually attractive.

The sound of McCoy and the other Spock arguing floated towards them and Jim rolled his eyes. It seemed those two would never get along, despite their grudging respect for one another. He glanced at the elder Spock to see faint amusement in his dark eyes. The elder Spock raised an eyebrow before the two men went to see what the argument was about.


End file.
